


headed straight for my skin

by ace8013, and_hera



Series: when the radio lights came on [1]
Category: King Falls AM (Podcast)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Discussion of Episode 75, F/M, Hospitals, Hurt/Comfort, JACK'S BACK, M/M, Post-Canon, lily and jack are twins!, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:26:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26471854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ace8013/pseuds/ace8013, https://archiveofourown.org/users/and_hera/pseuds/and_hera
Summary: “Well, you shouldn’t worry, then,” Lily says to Sammy. “You’ve known Jack since fucking college. I’ve known him since we were in the womb. He won’t be forgetting us.”Sammy squeezes Jack’s hand. “I really hope not,” he says.“He’ll wake up soon,” Ben says.or, Jack Wright comes home.
Relationships: Ben Arnold & Sammy Stevens, Ben Arnold & Sammy Stevens & Emily Potter & Lily Wright, Ben Arnold/Emily Potter, Jack Wright & Lily Wright, Sammy Stevens & Jack Wright & Lily Wright, Sammy Stevens/Jack Wright
Series: when the radio lights came on [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1924438
Comments: 3
Kudos: 65





	headed straight for my skin

**Author's Note:**

> hello everyone! welcome to part one of a post-canon king falls am series! we have a lot more planned out that we will post over time, but you can bet your ass that greg frickard gets punched eventually :D  
> title is from mr. loverman by ricky malcolm!  
> there is discussion of episode 75 re: sammy's almost-suicide, if you would like to avoid reading this, stop reading at "Sammy sighs, and Jack looks back at him." and continue at the line break!  
> there is also a panic attack, and if you would like to avoid reading this, stop reading at the line "'It's gonna be okay,' Ben says," and stop at the line break!  
> enjoy <3

Jack says, “Sammy? What the-” and then passes out, because the universe fucking hates Sammy Stevens.

They’re on the ground in Perdition Wood, and the sun is shining through the leaves of the tallest trees, which is a relief, compared to where they’ve been. Emily looks faint, which isn’t a surprise, considering that she just managed to defeat a shadow demon thing from the Void. Ben is holding her hand. Lily is holding Sammy’s. And in the center of their little circle on the forest floor is Jack Wright.

“Jack?” Sammy says helplessly, because he isn’t sure what to do in this situation. He moves over, leaning over him and touching his face. “Jack.”

“Sammy,” Emily says, “I think we need to call the hospital.”

“I think we need to get out of Perdition Wood,” Ben says, “so we actually have cell service. And so that we don’t, you know-”

“I doubt that Mr. Shadowmaker is much of an issue right now,” Lily snaps. “Fairly sure we took care of that. Now. Sammy, get up, and I’ll put him on your back.”

Sammy does that. Jack is easier to carry than he should be.

Ben is on his phone the whole walk back, swearing at it until it eventually picks up a bar of service. He calls 911, and then he calls Troy and Katie, and then they’re out of the woods and can see the parking lot where an ambulance and Troy’s cruiser sit, waiting.

“You family?” the EMT asks, looking at Sammy who has Jack over his shoulder and Lily who’s holding Jack’s hand.

“Sister and fiance,” Lily replies. “Let’s go. He’s in bad shape.” And that’s that, because no one argues with Lily Wright. No one.

* * *

It’s a bit of a blur, because Jack is taken into the ER, and they say that he isn’t injured besides bruises and scratches like he fell down a hill or something, but he’s severely malnourished. It’ll be a little bit until he wakes up, they say. 

What happened to him, they ask. Sammy and Lily aren’t paying attention enough to answer. When they ask the same question to Ben and Emily later, they look at each other and decide that it’s a problem for another day. “It’s a bit of a long story,” Ben says. “Is he doing okay?”

He is. He should wake up soon. They hope.

Ben and Emily walk in. Emily has two coffees and Ben has a Twix bar. Ben sees Sammy and Lily sitting on either side of Jack’s bed, and they look exhausted. Jack is breathing.

“Hey, guys,” he says. “Any preference to which half you get?” he asks, gesturing to the Twix. Sammy doesn’t reply, and Lily gives a halfhearted shrug. Ben gives Lily the left and Sammy the right. “Eat. You need to get your blood sugar up. We’ve been… doing a lot for the last few hours.”

“If that’s what you call exploring a Void and beating the Shadowmaker like we’re in a goddamn Guardians of the Galaxy movie,” Lily says, but she takes a bite of her half anyway and takes the coffee Emily offers her.

Ben grabs a chair and pulls it beside Sammy. “Hey, dude. You alright?”

Sammy doesn’t so much as nod as he jerks his head in recognition. “Ben,” he says quietly, “what if he doesn’t remember?”

Emily pauses as she hands Sammy his coffee.

“He will,” Ben says confidently, despite having no clue if he would. Based on their track record, people who come back from supernatural shit aren’t always… normal, right away.

Based on Sammy’s face, he’s thinking the same thing.

“Sammy,” Emily says gently, “I remembered eventually.”

“After how long?” he replies, and then sighs. “Sorry. I didn’t- I’m just worried. I don’t want him to forget everything. Not after all this.”

“He said your name at first, right?” Ben says. “When we first got him out. He was lucid for a second. He remembered you.”

Sammy shrugs. He takes the coffee Emily is offering and nods at her. She nods back, lips pressed together. “We’ll see.”

“Emily,” Lily says, not looking at Jack but not quite looking away from him either, “how much did you forget?”

Emily says, “Well. Ben, for one. A lot of recent things. I forgot bad… _he_ was. Eventually, as stuff happened to remind me, I remembered most of it.”

Ben scoots his chair closer to Emily’s so he can reach and take her hand. She smiles at him.

“Well, you shouldn’t worry, then,” Lily says to Sammy. “You’ve known Jack since fucking college. I’ve known him since we were in the womb. He won’t be forgetting us.”

Sammy squeezes Jack’s hand. “I really hope not,” he says.

“He’ll wake up soon,” Ben says.

* * *

It’s been a long, long day.

They went into Perdition Wood around eight the night before, Emily remembers. They made it to the Doorstep around eleven. They went inside, and when they came out, it was daylight. When they got to the hospital and Emily stopped to check her phone for the first time, it read 12:09 in the afternoon.

They were in the Void for a while. It’s funny, because when they were inside, it only felt like an hour, maybe two at most.

But then it isn’t funny, because Jack Wright was in there for almost six years. How long did it feel like for him?

She looks at her phone. 4:23.

Jack’s asleep, still, and the nurses say he’ll be awake. He’s not in a coma or something equally dangerous, he’s just exhausted. Understandably so, Emily thinks, because she almost passed out as soon as they were under the sun. She gets it. The Void is tiring, and Jack has been possessed by the main big bad for at least a few months now, if not more.

Sammy hasn’t slept. Lily’s nodded off a few times, but then she snaps back awake and asks Emily to get her another coffee. Emily does this, because she loves Lily, and because she knows that she needs to be awake for her little brother. Emily also gets coffees for Sammy without him asking, because she loves him too, and he needs to be awake for his fiance.

Ben is asleep on her shoulder. She wouldn’t let him have caffeine, because she knew it would make him more anxious and shaky than awake. She promised to wake him up when Jack does.

She looks at Jack. Really looks at him. His hair is curly and long, but she’s sure it isn’t normally as long as it is now. He has a nice face. He looks an awful lot like Lily. Enough that she wouldn’t need to be told that they’re related.

This is the man that started all this, Emily thinks. Because he is. Without Jack Wright, Sammy Stevens doesn’t come to King Falls. Would the Rainbow Lights have come anyway? Would she still have been abducted, but this time without someone who fights endlessly to get her back?

Emily thinks about that a lot. What would have happened without Jack being abducted, without Jack meeting Sammy, without Jack at all. Endless what-ifs. She thinks about what will happen if he doesn’t wake up. 

He will, she reminds himself. This is how these things go. He’ll wake up, and there will be struggles still, because bringing someone back from death doesn’t mean everything is easy, but he will be okay. Tim Jensen is okay. She is okay. Jack has to be okay.

Jack breathes slowly. He’s hooked to an IV, but no breathing machine. The nurses aren’t worried, just say he’s having a nice sleep. They’re working on giving him the nourishment he needs after five plus years in a Void. He will be okay. Emily knows this.

Lily’s nodding off again. Sammy, for the first time in a while, looks up from Jack and meets Emily’s eyes. “Em,” he says, “we can’t tell him about everything yet.”

“What do you mean?” she whispers, because she doesn’t want to wake up Ben, who’s drooling on her shoulder.

Sammy gestures broadly to the room. “Everything. The bad stuff. Greg, the Ben Arnold show. I don’t… I’ll tell him everything eventually, but while we’re here, I just. I don’t want him to panic.”

“Won’t he panic about all of us knowing?” Emily asks, not unkindly.

Sammy sighs, and looks back at Jack. “I’ll talk to him,” he says. “For now, I’ll just tell him that- that you all know, or something. It’ll be fine.”

Emily nods. “I won’t tell him. Not until you say so.”

“Thanks.”

“It’s no problem, Sammy. You know we’ll do anything for you and Jack.”

“Yeah,” he says. “I know.”

* * *

Lily watches her brother breathe for the first time in ten years. It’s a sight to behold.

She hasn’t seen him since he and Sammy left, not in person. Well, not counting the times when he was possessed lately, chasing them down with black eyes and a smile that wasn’t quite his. Lily hasn’t seen her twin brother since the day he told her to come along, to join them, to go be famous together.

She said no, and that was that. 

And now she’s seeing him again, for the first time in ten years, and he’s lying unconscious in a hospital bed. Holding both her hand in his right and Sammy Stevens’ in his left.

Lily rubs her thumb over his knuckles. That’s when he breathes in sharply and opens his eyes, and he’s looking directly at her.

“Lils?” he says groggily. “What- where are we?”

“Hey, Jack,” she says, and oh God, she’s crying. “You’re- you’re with us. You’re safe.”

Lily looks up across the bed and there’s Sammy, staring at Jack like he’s the most wonderful thing he’s ever seen. Sometimes Lily forgets that while she loved Jack first, Sammy loves him just as much. Sometimes Lily forgets that while she and Jack were born together, Sammy and Jack were supposed to live together.

“Sam?” Jack says. His voice is hoarse, like he’s been yelling, or like he’s been crying. Probably both. “You’re- you guys are together. Am I dead? Why are you crying?”

Ben laughs. Lily forgot he and Emily were there. She looks and Ben’s crying and Emily propped her glasses on her forehead to wipe her eyes. She laughs too, because it’s morbid, but it’s okay, because Jack is with them. 

“You’re not dead, Jack,” Sammy says. “Jack, you’re _here_. Oh, my God, you’re awake.”

Jack closes his eyes tightly for a moment and then opens them again, as if getting used to the light. “What, is this where you tell me that I’ve been in a coma for like, four fucking years?” he says, voice raspy, half laughing.

“More like five and a half,” Lily says to herself. Jack blinks.

“I’m sorry, what?”

That’s when Sammy kisses him. Lily looks away, because yeah, she hasn’t seen her brother in person for ten years (five not talking to him, two assuming he was dead and the other three searching), but she does _not_ need to see her brother and… _friend_ making out.

Sammy kisses him, because Lily hasn’t seen her brother in ten years but Sammy hasn’t seen his fiance in five and God knows that he hasn’t been coping with it well. “Well,” Jack says a moment after, “that was nice.”

Ben laughs again, and Emily squeezes his hand. “We’re going to give you guys a minute,” Emily says, and waves as she pulls him out. Lily makes a mental note to thank her later.

“Who are they?” Jack asks, and he pauses to cough. “What the hell happened?”

“That’s Ben and Emily,” Sammy says. He’s sitting in his chair again, but he’s significantly closer to Jack now. “Well, Emily’s the brains of the operation. She’s the best. And well, Ben’s my best friend. He’s- he’s my brother.”

“I thought you didn’t have any siblings, Sammy,” Jack says, but he’s smiling. He looks tired, but he’s somehow joking around with them again. 

“Nope,” Lily says, popping the P. “Sammy’s long lost twin brother. We’re not special anymore, Jack.”

“Heartbroken,” Jack says. He closes his eyes. “The lights are really bright in here.”

Lily looks up at the fairly dim room. “I think your eyes might be adjusting,” she says. “You’ve been in the dark for a while.”

“I have?”

Lily looks at Sammy. Raises an eyebrow. Sammy shrugs slightly.

“What do you remember, Jack?” Lily asks lightly.

“New Year’s,” Jack says. “Singing Christmas songs even though it wasn’t Christmas. It was nice. Sammy, Lily, why am I in the hospital?”

Sammy squeezes his hand again. “Jack,” he says, “there’s been a lot of stuff that happened. And I guess you don’t remember most of it. It’s just… not a fun story to tell.”

“Are we even in California still?” Jack asks. He squints at the window of their room. “Jesus, what happened? Where did Sammy find a brother?”

Lily decides that enough is enough, it’s been ten fucking years and she’s getting a hug from her brother if it kills her. She gets up and climbs into the hospital bed alongside Jack, resting her head on his chest and throwing an arm over his stomach.

“Hey, Lils,” he says again. “Are you okay?” She’s crying again, she thinks. She’s very obviously not okay, but she nods into him anyway. She feels a weight on the other half of the bed, and she knows Sammy has joined them.

“You guys are squishing me,” Jack grumbles.

“Jack,” Sammy says softly, “I’m so fucking sorry.”

Lily thinks Sammy might be crying again, too, which isn’t a surprise.

“Hey, hey, baby,” Jack says soothingly. “Why are you apologizing?”

Sammy doesn’t say anything, but Lily finds his hand and takes it. It’s just the three of them again, the old gang, the college gang, this time instead of piled onto a shitty couch in a dorm it’s a hospital bed in King Falls.

“Jack,” Lily says, “it’s been a long time since New Year’s.”

“What do you mean?” he whispers back, like they’re telling secrets about who likes who.

“Almost six years,” Sammy says. “You’ve been- goddamnit, Jack, you’ve been _gone_ for almost _six years_.”

Jack freezes his movement, whatever he was doing. Probably messing with Sammy’s hair or something. “Six years?” he says quietly. “What- why?”

“Remember King Falls?” Lily asks, and Sammy laughs at that. 

“Of course,” Jack says. “I studied it. All the paranormal shit. It was fascinating.”

“It took you, Jack,” Sammy says, “and you were gone, in a Void with shadows for five years and seven months.”

Lily holds him tighter. Sammy probably does the same. Lily doesn’t know. She doesn’t have the courage to look up at Jack’s face or to face Sammy at all. 

“Are you guys okay?” Jack says quietly. “I- what did I miss?”

“Classic Jack Wright,” Lily says, and it would come out better if her voice wasn’t cracking. “Gets told he was in a goddamn Void for five years and his first thought is about everyone else.”

Sammy laughs. Lily hears something that’s probably a kiss to a cheek, but she doesn’t know from who.

“Hey, guys,” someone says, and Lily turns to see Ben standing in the doorway. “You okay?”

“You look really familiar,” Jack says. “I can’t place it.”

Ben shrugs awkwardly. “Guess I just have one of those faces,” he says. “Can I- we- is it okay if-”

“Come in, Ben,” Sammy says. “I want you to officially meet my fiance.”

Jack freezes again. It’s always noticeable when Jack stops moving, because his general state of being is always in motion, bouncing a leg or tapping his fingers or lacing his hands with someone else’s. He whips his head around to look at Sammy with wide eyes.

“It’s okay, Jack,” he whispers, sitting up in the bed and waving Ben over. “It’s- they know. It’ll be alright.”

Emily follows Ben in, holding another drink that might be coffee. Probably coffee. It’s been a long day. Before she really walks in, she looks at the picture of the three of them on the bed, Jack squinting, Lily and Sammy clinging to him. 

“Can I turn the light off?” she says. “It might help your eyes adjust better.”

Jack nods, and Emily turns them all the way down. Sunlight still streams in through the window, though, which is good because Lily isn’t sure if she wants to be in pitch black ever again.

“I hear you're the brains of the operation,” Jack says, and it’s the first time he’s trying to talk loudly again and his voice cracks. “I’m not sure what the operation is, exactly, but it’s nice to meet you anyway. Someone needs to keep these clowns in line.” 

Emily smiles. Her eyes are red. Lily doesn’t know if it’s from lack of sleep or crying. Possibly both. “Hi, Jack,” she says. “It's very nice to finally meet you, too. I’ve heard a lot about you over the past-” she looks at Lily as if gauging how much they’ve told him- “while. I’m glad to finally see you face to face.”

Jack smiles. “And Ben,” he says, “Sammy says you’re his brother? Not sure how he snuck a sibling past me and Lily, but it’s great to meet you all the same.”

Ben looks at Sammy like he hung the moon in the sky. “We’re- we’re not biologically related,” he says hesitantly.

“Woah, really?” Lily says dryly. Again, the effect is ruined by the amount of crying there has been in the last few minutes. Damnit.

“But I’ve been producing and co-hosting a show with Sammy for the last few years,” Ben says, shooting a look at Lily. “And he’s- he’s like my brother. I’m glad to finally meet this guy who makes Sammy Stevens so happy.”

Jack blinks. “I’m- glad to meet you too,” he says. “You guys seem really nice. I’m glad you were with Sammy while- while I was gone. I guess.”

Lily sits up more, resting her head on his shoulder instead. “Jack,” she says, “you’ve been out of sorts for the last- for a while. Yeah. Maybe you should keep resting. I don’t want to push you.”

Jack closes his eyes again. “That might be for the best,” he agrees. He sounds drowsy. He sounds tired in a way that goes down to his bones. “Don’t leave,” he says quietly, and Lily doesn’t know if he’s talking to her or to Sammy.

“Don’t worry,” Sammy says. “We aren’t going anywhere.”

“Damn right,” Lily agrees.

* * *

Before Sammy and Jack left, back when they were still in Florida, they would have nights where they watched shitty movies or TV shows or whatever was on cable. 

Apparently, that’s still a thing. Some things never change, Jack figures, even if one member of their little trio was gone. Sammy and Lily would have movie nights.

“Yeah, just about every Saturday night,” Ben tells him at one point. “After they talked some things out, and before everything went to hell, obviously. They’d hole themselves up in Sammy’s room and watch shitty romcoms on Sammy’s laptop.”

Jack looks at Sammy. “You replaced our Shotgun Saturday Nights with movies with Lily Wright?”

Sammy rolls his eyes. “I guess so,” he says. Lily elbows him. 

“You say it like you didn’t have a great time,” Lily chides, and Sammy elbows her back.

Movie nights. A constant.

Things are very, very different now.

They’re all in one apartment. Well, Emily isn’t. Jack and Emily get along very well. Emily is quieter, not because she’s shy, but because she likes to think about her words before she says them. Emily’s very smart. Ben says she’s the reason they got him home at all. Says she’s _The One_. Jack isn’t sure if Ben is just _that much_ of a romantic, or if there’s some real prophecy bullshit involved. He’s betting on the former.

But the rest of them, Ben and Sammy and Lily (and Jack) are all in one apartment. Jack’s gathered that it was Ben’s originally, but they’ve all moved in. Jack asked Ben once, the day he got to leave the hospital. Said, “why are you all in the same place? Did Sammy not get his own apartment?”

Ben had replied, “Well- I think that’s a conversation you’ll need to have with Sammy, at some point.”

And that was that. Jack’s still a little nervous to bring it up.

The apartment is nice, all things considered. Too small for four people (too small for four people in committed relationships that all want some privacy, more like), but they make do. No one’s a bad roommate. This surprises Jack, because Lily was an _awful_ roommate in college.

It’s a Saturday night, and Jack and Sammy and Lily are all piled in Sammy’s bed. They have Sammy’s laptop open and Netflix pulled up. Sammy is arguing in favor of _Jurassic Park_ and Lily thinks that they should watch _Back to the Future._ Jack is sitting in between them and not bothering to try and get a word in, happy to watch and laugh along.

They decide on _Back to the Future_ , because the only person known to win an argument against Lily Wright is Jack Wright and that was a long time ago. He really has to regain his title again, doesn’t he?

The opening scene plays. Jack finds himself settling, leaning back into the pillows. Sammy immediately rests his head on his shoulder.

“I’m glad this hasn’t changed,” Jack says.

“What, movie night?” Lily replies. She grabs a handful of popcorn. “How could we ever forsake the sacred tradition of movie night?” Her mouth is full as she talks. It’s obnoxious, but it’s Lily.

“Us,” Jack says. 

Sammy scoffs. “It did change for a while,” he says, honestly. “Jack, Lily and I… we didn’t talk for a long time.”

“You didn’t talk before I left,” Jack agrees. “But we’re here now. In goddamn King Falls, watching movies together. Everything comes back around in the end.”

Lily shrugs. She’s smiling. “I guess you’re right, little bro.”

“I am thirty two minutes younger than you.”

“Semantics.”

“It’s been like, fifteen years,” Sammy says tiredly. “Can we drop this argument for good? Please?”

“ _Absolutely not_. I have to defend myself, because _we’re_ _twins, Lily._ ” Jack says. Lily flips him off. He grins.

The movie keeps playing, and Jack thinks he might have seen it before. He says, “this plot seems familiar. Have we watched it before?”

Sammy and Lily aren’t really doing anything, but they manage to freeze all the same.

Lily sighs. “Jack,” she says, “we- we watched _Back to the Future_ all the time before. Probably at least once a month. Do you remember?”

And it’s like. Jack _should_ remember. It feels like he does, like the memory is right there. Sure! They watched _Back to the Future_ during movie nights when they were younger and happy and not worried about the supernatural quite yet. Sounds about right!

But when he thinks about it, the memory just isn’t there. It’s like a blank spot in his mind. “Oh,” he says, because he isn’t sure what else to say. “Yeah, that makes sense.”

Sammy squeezes his hand. Jack runs his finger over Sammy’s engagement ring. “It’s alright, Jack,” he says. When Sammy says _Jack_ , he always sounds like he’s savoring the word, as if he got so used to not saying it that saying it now seems like a blessing. “We’ll get there. Emily got her memories back eventually. It’s only been about a week since you got out of the hospital.” 

Jack kisses Sammy’s forehead, because he’s a sap. The movie plays on, and Jack thinks the main actors look _so_ familiar, but he just can’t find the movie in his head. “I hope so,” he says. “I hope I’ll remember.”

“You will,” Lily says. And the world doesn’t dare to prove Lily Wright wrong, so Jack believes her.

* * *

When Jack wakes up, it isn’t from a nightmare, which is a pleasant surprise.

His memories aren’t coming back as _memories_ so much as they are as nightmares. Shadows, things with too-sharp teeth and all black eyes. The never ending sense of being alone in the dark. The never ending sense of missing someone, and yet slowly forgetting who that someone is.

Little by little. Night by night. Memories coming back.

But this morning, he wakes up slowly, blinking at the light coming in through the window. He always takes an extra second to adjust to light, now. He’s getting used to that.

Sammy is still sleeping, and Jack doesn’t blame him, because his first day back at work is tomorrow and Jack told him to enjoy having a regular sleep schedule as long as he can.

Jack kisses Sammy on the forehead. Sammy wakes up, just barely. “Going to get breakfast,” Jack says. “I’m not gone.”

Sammy grumbles something in response and rolls over again, so Jack takes it as a sign that Sammy won’t freak out when he really wakes up and goes to the kitchen.

Ben’s already awake, because he’s been working for two weeks now, so his sleep schedule’s already fucked. “Morning, Jack!” he says far too cheerfully for eight in the morning. “Sleep well?”

“Yeah, actually,” Jack says. “Surprise surprise.”

Ben smiles and drinks his coffee, steam fogging up his glasses. Jack assumes he was too lazy to put in contacts today. “Are we going to have another class today?” Ben asks.

“Calling it a _class_ makes it seem so professional,” Jack argues. “Last time, you told me that Vine shut down in December 2016. I don’t think that’s something that would be covered in a class.”

Ben shrugs. “You still remembered the date! Almost like a history class, I think.”

“Well, you’re _such_ a good teacher.”

“Thank you, thank you,” Ben says grandly, bowing his head. “I try.”

“Well then, Mr. Arnold,” Jack says, grabbing a chair at the table, “what are we covering today?”

Ben thinks for a moment. Jack can hear his foot tapping on the linoleum. “Are you feeling more general history or Sammy slash Lily slash King Falls history?”

“Sammy and Lily, I guess,” Jack decides. 

Ben laughs and drains the rest of his coffee. “Did I ever tell you about the time Sammy punched the mayor in the middle of a public town event?”

Jack blinks. “He _what_.”

“It was the Best Small Town In America celebration-”

“That’s the bullshit one?”

“That’s the bullshit one. Sammy was like, forced to go up on a podium and talk about it, I guess? Because Sammy kept bitching about it on the radio. And Mayor Grisham announced that he would be running for reelection during the celebration, and Sammy got so tired of this shit that he said, and I quote, ‘Post my bail, Ben!’ and ran up on stage and suplexed him.”

“Somehow, that’s the most in character thing I’ve ever heard,” Jack says dryly, and Ben laughs at him. “‘Post my bail.’ I cannot believe he is real sometimes., Jesus _Christ_.”

“Well, we’re all the better off for it!” Ben says cheerfully, and Jack nods in acknowledgment. 

“God, why are you guys so loud this early in the morning,” Lily says, sitting up on the couch. She stretches her arms before standing up to make her way to the kitchen. “It’s like, six.”

“Eight, actually,” Ben corrects. Lily flips him off.

Jack hugs her from his chair. “Morning, Lils,” he says, and she pats him on the head, still looking half asleep. 

“We have _work_ tomorrow,” she says mournfully. “I have to get up at _five_.”

“I have to get up at one,” Ben replies. “Count your blessings.”

“Well, I don’t technically have to get up at all,” Jack adds. “But I’ll probably be up when Sammy is anyway, because he always trips and swears way too loudly when he’s getting ready.”

“What an asshole,” Lily says fondly.

Jack shrugs. “And you all are just loud getting ready in general. I know the whole living situation is temporary, but I have to say, I’m really looking forward to getting our own place. No offense.”

Lily makes her way into the kitchen, turning on the keurig because she’s pretentious and only likes the flavored stuff. “Jack, dearest baby brother,” she says, “I too look forward to you and Sammy moving out.” She looks at him with a deadpan expression. “I have invested in earplugs.”

“I am _not_ going to talk about the times I have seen you and Miss Lynch together _in our living room_ ,” Jack returns.

Lily booes. “Not my fault we don’t have a room!”

“Moving forward,” Ben interjects, and Lily sticks her tongue out at him like a five year old. 

“But really,” Jack says, ignoring Ben, “how did everyone end up here? I assume Sammy didn’t just move in once he arrived in King Falls and Lily didn’t show up until later, right?”

Ben and Lily go oddly silent, which is never a good sign. “What,” Jack says slowly. “Should I not have asked, or…?”

“Jack,” Ben says, voice oddly high, “it’s… it’s not really my story to tell.”

“You said something like that when I left the hospital,” Jack replies. It’s not like he wants to pry. He doesn’t want to be an asshole, or annoying, or over excitable. Jack Wright just wants to _know_ what happened to his sister and his fiance in the five goddamn years he was gone. Really, he shouldn’t feel bad for asking at all. It’s a reasonable query.

He feels bad for asking, though.

“It isn’t a pretty story,” Lily says bluntly. “I- well, after Sammy moved in with Ben, I had a rough night. I’d been having a lot of rough nights, back then. I drank too much and was wandering around the streets. Troy found me and Sammy had to come pick me up. I’ve been living with them ever since.”

“Oh,” Jack breathes more than says. “Lily, I-”

“It’s fine,” she says sharply, and then she exhales. “It’s fine,” she says, much less sharp. “It’s not your fault. I’m okay, now. Sammy and I- we worked some things out.”

“Kinda is my fault, though,” Jack can’t help but say, and Lily makes a noise that sounds sad and tired and she comes back over to the table to hug him again.

“I’m just glad your home, Jack,” she says. “I’m really glad you’re home. I’m okay, now, I’m working on getting better.”

Jack says, “I’m proud of you,” because he is, and because he doesn’t remember much of the Void but he remembers missing her. 

“Well,” Sammy says, standing bleary eyed in the hallway leading to the kitchen, “am I interrupting a moment?”

Lily flips him off without bothering to let go of Jack. “Yes,” she says. “Go away, Shotgun.”

He rolls his eyes and walks in anyway, sliding into a chair by Ben. Jack had almost forgotten Ben was still there. “What are we having a moment about?” Sammy asks, grabbing Ben’s mug as if expecting to take his coffee and frowning at the empty bottom. “Sibling bonding moments, or…”

Lily grimaces. “It’s- I don’t know if we want to broach the subject before you’ve had breakfast,” she replies.

Sammy blinks, and tugs on the hairtie that’s always on his wrist. Jack sighs and sits back down. “I asked about why you all live with Ben,” he says.

Sammy inhales sharply, and then tries to play it off with a “oh, it’s not a very interesting story,” fooling absolutely no one.

“It’s okay,” Jack says. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I just want to know what I missed.”

Sammy nods. “I’ll tell you eventually,” he says. “Just- Lily’s right. I’m still half asleep right now.”

“Well! If that’s settled!” Lily says cheerfully, as if she wasn’t right along with them a second ago. “I’m going to go shopping, because we’re running out of whipped cream.”

“Goddamnit, Lily, you _know_ we only have whipped cream for when we make hot chocolate, you just waste it all by pouring it down your throat!”

“What’s that, Stevens? I can’t hear you! I’m already going to get ready!” Lily calls back, closing the bathroom door behind her.

Sammy scoffs. Ben pats his arm reassuringly. “It’s not like she knows how to cook anything. She can’t steal most of our groceries.”

“Ben, I’ve seen you burn ramen.”

“Have not!”

Jack laughs, and he keeps an eye on Sammy, because he isn’t _worried_ , and he knows things are okay, but he still wonders. He missed five years of the two most important people to him’s lives. He wonders what really happened while he was away.

* * *

“Welcome back to King Falls AM,” Sammy says for the first time in months. It’s felt longer. “I’m one of your hosts, Sammy Stevens, and sitting here with me is my co-host, Ben Arnold.”

“It’s so nice to hear you say that again,” Ben says dreamily. Sammy scoffs.

“Please. You got to hang out with Chet, Ben! How could you miss me when Chet was here?”

“I hate you,” Ben replies. “I hate you. I do.”

“Ah, now where’s that love that was in your voice just a second ago?” Sammy teases. “Well, happy holidays, everyone! This is, unfortunately, our last night before winter break, but I’m happy to be with you at least for tonight. To start our show off, we’re gonna open up the phones. It’s been… a _while_ since I’ve been on the air, and I would love to hear from my dear guys, gals, and non-binary pals that I’ve been missing. That number is 424-279-3858.”

“Line 5, you’re on the air,” Ben says cheerfully.

“Hi guys!” says Emily, sounding even more excited. “Hi Benny, hi Sammy! It’s so good to hear King Falls AM back to normal.”

Sammy laughs. “Oh, don’t tell me you stayed up late to hear us ramble, Emily.”

“Can’t deny it,” she says. “Though, as much as I love Ben, it was more to celebrate your return, Sammy. We’ve all missed you!”

“Well, if you say so, Miss Potter,” Sammy relents. “I’ve never witnessed you be wrong before.”

“Aw, you’re sweet, Sammy,” Emily says, and Sammy can hear her smile through the phone. “I won’t keep you guys, though. I’ve been able to see you this whole time, and I don’t want to take up time with other callers.”

“Talking to you is always worth it,” Ben says sweetly. Sammy makes a face at him, something like _do you have to do this on the air_ , and Ben sticks his tongue out back because he’s a child. “I’ll see you after the show, Emily!”

“Love you, Ben! Good luck, Sammy!” And, dial tone. Emily makes sure to never overstay her welcome, even though Sammy thinks he could have beared to keep talking to someone comfortable for a while longer.

Ben sighs. “She really is the best, isn’t she?”

“I can’t argue with you there,” Sammy agrees.

“Line seven,” Ben says, “welcome to King Falls AM.”

“Well I’ll be damned,” says a familiar voice, “I haven’t seen you around in the _longest_ , Mr. Sammy Stevens.”

“Hi, Mary,” Sammy replies. “I missed you, too.”

Mary laughs. “I can’t believe you haven’t come to visit! I’ve been missing having you boys around, you and Miss Potter and Miss Wright. And, as far as I’ve heard, there’s someone else with you-”

“It’s great to hear from you too, Mary!” Ben interjects, looking at Sammy with a question in his eyes. “It’s been way too long.”

“I’ll say!” 

“I’m sorry, Mary,” Sammy says. “My fault entirely. We’ve been a bit busy as of late.”

“May I ask with what?” Mary asks. Sammy knows that he could probably say no, avoid the question, leave it for another day when he’s more solid and used to this again, but he avoided questions for three long years and he’s pretty sure he’s done with it.

“More with _who_ ,” Sammy replies. Ben raises an eyebrow. “While we were gone, and while the whole _Void_ thing was messing with the town and stuff, we… well, we managed to get someone out.”

Sammy can practically see Mary grinning. “And this would be…”

“Jack,” he says. “Yeah. He’s been living with us for a few months now.”

“Oh, Sammy,” Mary says gently. “I’m so happy for you two. It’s been too long.”

Sammy nods, even though she can’t see it. “Yeah. It really has been. I’m… I’m really glad to have him back home.”

“Well, believe me when I say the whole town is glad to have Mr. Wright back among us,” Mary says determinedly. “And I know what it feels like, to have someone gone. You know that.”

“Yeah,” Sammy says. “I do.”

“So believe me when I say that I am _happy_ for you. You deserve a happy ending, Sammy Stevens.”

Sammy nods again. “Thank you, Mary.”

“Well,” Ben says gently, “I think it’s about time for us to have a break. Thank you for calling in, Mary. It means a lot.”

“Don’t think I haven’t missed you too, Benny Arnold!” she replies. “I hope you and that little librarian have been doing well, too. It’s what you deserve after… _all that_.”

“We are,” Ben says. “Emily is- she’s great. I love her a lot.”

“So we’ve heard,” Mary says. “Every night since you came back.”

“Oh, don’t tell me he’s been rambling about his girlfriend live on the air for four hours straight every night,” Sammy adds. “Maybe it really is good for me to be back, just to spare you all.”

“Don’t you dare, Stevens! They’re very cute together.” Mary clucks her tongue. “Don’t come in the way of _true love_.”

Ben says, “ _Mary_ -”

“Alright boys,” she continues before Ben can get a word out. “I’ll let you go to that break. I expect you both at my house Sunday night at seven for dinner. All spouses and sibling-in-laws as well.”

“I- I think that’s a great idea,” Sammy says.

“We’ll see you soon, Mary!” Ben says.

There’s a dial tone.

“Well folks, we’ll be right back, right after this.” Ben hits the commercial button and takes off his headphones, Sammy following suit. “Well.”

“Ben,” Sammy says, “I thought we didn’t have a commercial scheduled for another ten minutes. This is awfully early.”

Ben raises an eyebrow. “You didn’t look so good,” he explains. “I wanted to give you a break.”

Sammy raises an eyebrow in turn. “What do you mean?”

“What I _mean_ ,” Ben says, “is that your hands are shaking. They have been since you mentioned Jack to Mary.”

Well, shit. Sammy looks at his hands and they’re shaking, not terribly, but enough. And maybe it’s just nerves, just getting back into the show again, but probably not.

“Do you want me to call Jack, tell him to come up here?” Ben asks. And yeah, Sammy does, because it’s barely been an hour since he made it to the station but he’s already worrying about Jack again. But he’s a grown man, and he can handle himself.

“No, it’s okay,” Sammy says. “I’ll be alright.”

“Okay,” Ben replies doubtfully. “If you’re sure.”

Sammy nods. “Yeah. It’ll be fine. Just- getting used to things, again. And I haven’t exactly been away from him since, well, the Void.”

“It’s okay, dude,” Ben says. “No one’s judging you for worrying. You’ve been through, like, trauma. It’s understandable.”

“Ad’s almost over,” Sammy says. “Let’s get ready.”

Ben nods at him and pulls his headphones over his ears, Sammy following suit just in time to hear the tail end of the Archie’s Pomchi Palace theme song. “Welcome back to King Falls AM, folks!” Ben starts. “We are still taking calls, since my best friend and co-host is finally back on the air! Give us a call at 424-279-3858.”

“Line two,” Sammy says. “You’re live and on the air.”

“Well, then,” a snooty voice says, and Sammy is _this_ close to hitting his head on the board. “I’ve certainly been waiting long enough.”

“Hi, Cynthia,” Ben says tiredly. “Long time, no talk.”

“Well, hi, Benny,” Cynthia says, and Sammy can picture her twirling her dyed blonde hair around her finger. “I’ve certainly missed you.”

“Ms. Higgenbaum, I’ve been on the air every night for two weeks, now,” Ben says. “I don’t know why you’d miss me.”

Cynthia huffs. “Rude!”

“Hi, Cynthia,” Sammy says dryly. “It’s a pleasure to hear from you, as always.”

She sniffs, as if talking to him is below her standards. “Sure. Glad you’re back, _Shotgun_.”

He rolls his eyes at Ben, making an elaborate motion to indicate that he should _drop the call, pretty please_ , while Ben shakes his head to indicate that _no, we can’t just hang up on whoever we want_. Because he’s a coward.

“Look, is there any reason you’re calling, Cynthia?” Sammy asks. “I’m glad to be back tonight, but if you’re just going to be rude and barely acknowledge one of the hosts while flirting intensely with the other, we have other calls to take.”

“Well, _Sammy_ , I- I don’t know _what_ you’re implying about me and… Ben, but I’m certainly not flirting with him. And, look. I’m glad that you’re back on the air. As bad as you may be, at least you’re not _Chet Sebastian_. That man makes me want to _barf_!”

“High praise,” Sammy says.

“Ohh, you with your sarcasm as always.” Cynthia’s voice has somehow gotten more annoying since their break. Sammy is _this_ close to dropping the call. “Whatever. My reason for calling is, well, I wanted to give that librarian a piece of my mind.”

Ben blinks. “Cynthia,” he says, “you do realize that this is the Sammy and Ben show. Emily is not here.”

“Well, I figured you could pass along the message!” she says indignantly. “I mean, all you two ever do is talk about your love lives, Ben with his _Emily_ and Sammy with his… _lover_.”

For a split second, it’s dead air.

“Bye, Cynthia,” Sammy says, and he drops the call.

“Well,” Ben says. “Uhh… Just a reminder to _not_ be an awful person!”

Sammy sighs, a little shakily. “Yeah. Yeah, please do not do that.”

Ben pauses for a moment, staring at Sammy. Sammy counts to five in his head and is about to talk before the dead air goes for too long, but Ben says, “Actually, we have a guest caller, now.”

“We have a what?” Sammy asks.

Right on cue, the hotline rings.

“Ben,” Sammy says, but Ben cuts him off with a “you’re live on King Falls AM.”

“Hey, guys!” says Jack, and he sounds so cheerful, Sammy melts a little inside. “Thanks for having me.”

“Dear listeners, this is the one and only Jack Wright,” Sammy says. He takes a deep breath. “Lily’s brother, and my fiance.”

“Hi, Sammy,” Jack says fondly. “Miss you!”

Ben rolls his eyes. “Listeners, you should know that when Emily called, Sammy was making faces like we were _so_ gross and domestic, and yet here he is, making eyes at _a phone_.”

“Fuck off,” Sammy replies good-naturedly. Ben hits the bleeper a second too late, and then remembers that it still does not, in fact, work. “I’m glad to hear from you, Jack.”

“And I from you,” Jack says. “This is my first time calling into the station. I’m honored to have the super secret hotline number, Ben.”

“Just don’t go giving it to anyone,” Ben laughs. “We prefer to not have weird people calling into our station.”

“I’ll be sure to act normal, then,” Jack says. 

Sammy smiles. He is, as Ben said, probably making eyes at the phone. But honestly, who can blame him?

“And surprise surprise,” Jack continues, “I’m on my way up the mountain right now.”

“You are?”

“Ben asked if I’d help him produce,” Jack explains. “And hey, it’s been a while since I’ve worked a board, but it’ll be good to get back into it.”

Sammy gives Ben a look. Ben stares innocently back. Sammy knows Ben didn’t ask Jack to come up to the station to _help produce_. Ben is the most talented producer Sammy knows.

“Well, I know I’ll be glad to have you here,” Sammy says, and Ben audibly gags at the tone of his voice.

* * *

They go to Rose’s afterwards. Jack’s tired, but he’s happy, and he hasn’t actually worked a board in _ages_ and he’s happy that he got to do that, too. King Falls was happy to hear him on the air. It was, all things considered, very nice.

Rose’s is nice, too. Jack’s been there before, of course, and the pancake puppies are still legendary. He gets a coffee and sits across from Sammy in the booth, Ben and Emily in the booth across the aisle from them. Lily’s voice plays on the speakers, talking about something or other, because it’s early enough that the diner really doesn’t have to play music, yet. Radio is fine.

“Thanks for coming up,” Sammy says. “You really didn’t have to, I was-”

“Fine?” Jack teases. “Of course. You’re _always_ fine.”

Sammy rolls his eyes. “I know, I know,” he says. He drinks some of his own coffee. “That was our first show since Shotgun Saturdays,” he says.

Jack laughs. “I guess you’re right,” he says. “It’s been a long time.”

“It was nice working with you again, Mr. Wright,” Sammy says, and Jack laughs again, because it’s six in the morning and they’re in King Falls and Jack and Sammy were just on the radio together for the first time in almost six years.

“And the same to you, Mr. Stevens,” Jack returns. They clink their mugs together. 

Jack hears Ben laugh about something from his booth with Emily, and when he looks over they’re sitting together, on the same side, rather than facing each other. Ben’s showing her something on his phone. Emily’s laughing into her hand. It’s oddly sweet, and very Ben and Emily.

Sammy shakes his head. “They’re _adorable_ ,” he says, with only a hint of sass.

“They are!” Jack says genuinely. “I can’t imagine any two people better suited for each other.”

“Except for us, of course.”

“Oh, obviously. We were implied.”

Sammy sighs, and Jack looks back at him. “What’s up?” Jack asks. “Something on your mind?”

“It’s- I want to tell you.” Sammy says.

“You want to tell me?”

“The thing, everyone keeps dancing around. The reason I moved in with Ben, et cetera.”

Jack takes his hand and squeezes it. “Alright,” he says. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Sammy shakes his head. “No, it’s just- we have this thing every year on May 1st. Ben- well, the town- calls it the _Sammiversary_.”

Jack can’t help but laugh. “That’s very sweet, but that’s the stupidest name I’ve ever heard, oh my _God_.”

“That’s what _I_ said!” Sammy agrees, but he sobers up quickly. “It’s celebrating the anniversary of the day I came to King Falls, and the thing is, they’re notoriously… _bad_.”

“What do you mean?”

“Emily was taken on the first one. On the second, Grisham played tapes of me being Shotgun Sammy, and we found out Greg was gaslighting Emily and we couldn’t do anything about it.”

Jack’s eyes widen. “Oh, Christ,” he says. “Sammy, that’s-”

“And on the third,” Sammy says surely, “I tried to leave. To- to give up. On you, on King Falls, on Ben- on life, Jack.”

Jack thinks Sammy’s hand is shaking in his own. “Sammy,” he says, “I’m so sorry I left.”

“I tried to follow you, Jack,” he says, “and not just follow you to King Falls, I mean- I went to Perdition Wood. Ben was busy running the show by himself, because I didn’t renew my contract. And I- yeah.”

“And that’s why you moved in with Ben,” Jack says slowly. Sammy nods. He isn’t meeting his eyes. 

“It didn’t work,” Sammy says. “The Void- Shadowmaker, I don’t know- it wouldn’t take me. And when I thought that I had a chance of living again, the Rainbow Lights were on me, and then someone shot one down and it hit the station and- it was a lot. Ben wouldn’t let me go back to my apartment.”

Jack, deciding that enough is enough, gets up and slides into the booth alongside Sammy, putting an arm over his shoulder. Sammy isn’t crying, but he’s shaking, and Jack is worried that _he_ might be crying because Sammy needed him and he wasn’t there. “I’m so sorry,” he says.

“It’s not your fault,” Sammy replies. 

Jack disagrees, but he knows Sammy disagrees with that, and he doesn’t want to get into it, so he hugs him. And it’s weird, being able to be like this in public. During 1090, during Shotgun, everything was carefully distanced outside of the comforts of their home. But in King Falls, somehow, they can have this. They can sit on the same side of a booth like Ben and Emily and be okay.

“I’m sorry for giving up on you,” Sammy says.

“I’m sorry for leaving,” Jack replies. “I won’t do it again.”

Sammy laughs, voice rough. “You better not, asshole. I’m not dealing with that again.”

Jack presses a kiss to Sammy’s forehead quickly and fights the urge to look around to make sure no one noticed. “I love you, you know,” he says. “And you didn’t give up on me. You _saved_ me.”

“Was more Emily “The One” Potter than me,” Sammy grumbles, but he doesn’t argue the point. “I love you too, Jack.”

* * *

Ben sees them on the other side of the aisle a few minutes later, sitting together. Sammy shows Jack something on his phone. Jack laughs into his hand.

“They’re so happy,” Emily says, and he almost jumps. He didn’t realize she was looking, too.

“Not as happy as us,” he replies, and she pokes his cheek.

“Happiness isn’t a competition,” she chides. Lily says something on the radio about her asshole friends who always run into her morning slot. 

Ben says, “I think you might be right.”

* * *

It’s the smallest thing that sets it all off, like a spark to gasoline.

“I think I’m gonna go to the gym today,” Jack starts one morning, when Sammy’s washing their dishes from breakfast and Jack’s sitting up on the counter drying them. Jack kicks his legs back and forth.

“That’s fine. What time were you thinking? It’s almost 12 now, and we’re supposed to be at dinner at Emily’s at five, so we should give ourselves enough time to get ready for that,” Sammy replies, handing Jack a plate.

Jack glances at Sammy tentatively. “Oh! I was actually uh, I was actually thinking I’d go by myself.” 

“That’s okay. Not like I’m busy, babe.” Sammy laughs, not really paying attention.

“I kinda want to go alone though.” Jack said, biting his lip. He dries a bowl more vigorously than probably necessary.

Sammy sets a plate down. He’s quiet for a moment and doesn’t meet Jack’s eyes. “I uh, I don’t think that’s a great idea, Jack.” Not quite a solid statement, but not a question either. 

A little anger lights up, deep in Jack’s chest. “Why not?”

“I just don't think it’s a good idea.”

“What? You don’t trust me to go there and back by myself?”

“No, Jack you know that’s not it-”

“Then what is it? I know you worry, but god, I’m thirty-eight years old, Sammy. I can work out alone sometimes.” Jack pushes himself off the counter to stand at Sammy’s eye level. A little above it, really. Jack’s always been a few inches taller.

“I know that!” They’re both yelling now, like they haven’t done in years.

“Do you? Ever since I woke up in that hospital you haven’t given an inch of space! Or trust, Sammy.”

“I’ve got reasons for that! I’m allowed to have reasons!” Sammy scoffs. His hands still have soap from the dishes on them, and he doesn’t bother to grab a towel.

Jack sighs. “You’re smothering me! I need to be able to- to live, Sammy! And the lack of- of trust hurts, ok?”

“I’m sorry! I don’t mean for it to come off that way.” 

“How _do_ you mean for it to come off?” 

“I just- I don’t want you to be alone! And I don’t want to be alone either!” Sammy shouts, gesturing with his hands as he speaks. Water droplets hit Jack’s shirt.

“You’re being clingy, Sammy! It’s suffocating, okay?!” Jack clenches his hands into fists. “You know what? I can’t. I can’t do this with you. Please, just, leave me _alone._ ” He leaves too quickly, probably, taking Sammy’s keys off the table as he goes. He doesn’t _storm_ , but it’s something like that.

“Jack!” Sammy shouts, a moment too late. The door’s already slammed shut behind Jack.

* * *

It’s just about noon when a banging on her apartment door startles Lily.

See, people don’t come to Lily’s apartment. She’s not a popular person in general, and she keeps to herself, and even though she’s talented and pretty as hell, that doesn’t scream at people to give her a visit.

She’s busy, too. Lily Wright is always busy, whether it’s breaking open a Void or writing a new podcast episode.

Lily’s door doesn’t have a peephole, so she cracks the door without unhooking the chain, then closes it again to unlock it. “What the hell, Jack?” she says as soon as he slips in, looking something adjacent to miserable.

He doesn’t say anything, just pushes past her into her living room. She looks out into the hall before closing the door. “Where’s Sammy?”

“Why? I’m not with Sammy _all the time._ ” Jack starts pacing back and forth between her couch and coffee table.

“Um, you kind of are, and you don’t have a car.”

“Whatever. That doesn’t mean I can’t drive.” He says, quickening his pace. His hands are in his hoodie pocket.

“Why are you here, Jack?”

“I yelled at him,” Jack stops pacing abruptly and sits down on her couch, head in his hands. “I got mad and I snapped!”

“At Sammy?” 

“You tell me,” Jack says bitterly. “Apparently I don’t talk to _anyone else_.”

“ _Oookay._ What,” She pauses, clearing her throat and sitting down beside him, “What happened?”

“He doesn’t give me any _space_ , Lils. I feel like I can’t breathe.”

“He’s a dick. I’ve been saying it for years, Jack, you should leave him,” Lily says dryly, raising an eyebrow as he shoots her a glare. “Look. No one expects you guys to be all picture perfect after all this, yeah?” 

“I shouldn’t have yelled at him. Oh god, I’m such a dick. He’s just- _oh god._ ”

Lily squeezes his shoulder awkwardly. “Uh, it’s gonna be ok. I’m sure he understands.”

“I’m awful, he just worries, and I- I yelled at him!” He let his head fall onto Lily’s shoulder.

She pats his back in a hug-like motion. “Hey, hey, uh, it’s gonna be alright? Jack, hey, it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not,” Jack says, and Lily thinks he might be crying now. “He needs-”

“He needs _therapy._ We all do, quite frankly. Look,” She sighs, “No one is expecting you guys to be perfect. _Hey._ I’m serious, Jack. Look at me.” He looked up at her, eyes rimmed red, tears streaming down his cheeks. She wiped at his face with her thumbs. “Hey, it’s gonna be okay, Jack.”

Jack shakes his head. “No,” he whispers.

“Yes,” Lily says, “It’s gonna be ok. Sammy’s gonna understand where you’re coming from, and it’s gonna be okay, Jack. No one is expecting you guys to be perfect, and no one ever was. Okay?”

“Okay.”

* * *

“Why don’t you start another episode ok? I’m gonna go get something to eat,” Lily starts after she and Jack had wallowed on her couch for a while. Jack nods and Lily makes her way into her apartment kitchen.

After rummaging in the cupboard and pulling out a bag of chips, she picks up her phone from where it had been charging on the counter.

“Oh, God.” Lily drops the bag of chips and yanks the charger out of her phone. “Jack!”

“What’s up?” He asks, reaching to pause the tv as she runs back into her living room.

“I have _fifty-fucking-two_ missed calls from Sammy Stevens.”

“What?” 

“Oh my god,” She whispers, scrolling through her notifications. 

**Shithead Stevens <3**

52 Missed Calls

27 New iMessages

**Benny Arnold**

15 Missed Calls

32 New iMessages

**Sheriff Troy**

6 Missed Calls

**Katie Lynch**

11 Missed Calls

“Oh my god, Jack.”

He’s jumped up off the couch now and is looking over her shoulder as she opens the texts from Sammy, with timestamps starting close to an hour ago.

**Shithead:** lily do you know where jack is

 **Shithead:** lily pls this is important

 **Shithead:** lily he isnt answering his phone

 **Shithead:** he took my car i dont know where he is

 **Shithead:** shit he left his phone here

 **Shithead:** lily pick up the goddamn phone

 **Shithead:** im calling troy

 **Shithead:** lily please pick up

 **Shithead:** troy nd katie r looking for him

 **Shithead:** oh my god

 **Shithead:** lily please answer the phone

 **Shithead:** text me pls anything

 **Shithead:** oh my fucking gfd

 **Shithead:** i cant fukcing 

**Shithead:** oh god lil pls tell me hes w u

 **Shithead:** pls tell me hes ok oh go

“Oh no, oh god, this is all my fault.” Jack turns away from her phone and starts rubbing at his eyes. “I made everything worse, Lils.”

“I- I don’t know who to call back first, him or Troy.” Lily stammers.

“Troy?! He called the police?” Jack says in horror.

“I thought you told him you were coming here! You just left?” 

“I thought he would assume! I don’t have that many friends, Lily!”

“He did _not_ assume! That’s for sure!”

“How did you miss that many calls, anyway?”

“My phone was on silent, asshole- no, you know what, we don’t have time for this, I have to call Sammy back.” Lily opens the phone app and clicks on Sammy’s contact. She gives Jack a look as the phone rings. 

“Lily?” Sammy answers almost immediately, sounding panicked.

“Hey, I’m so sorry, my phone was in the other room and-” she pauses, “Jack’s here. He’s been here the whole time, with me, he’s- we’re safe.”

“Oh my god,” Sammy lets out. “I- I- oh my god.” He sounds like he’s been hyperventilating.

The line was quiet for a minute except for some quiet background noise on Sammy’s end. Then, “Hello?” Emily’s voice comes through the speakers.

“Hey, Potter.”

Emily is quietly calm. She is always quietly calm in moments like these, moments when everyone else is panicking. “Hey. You guys are okay?”

“Yeah, we are. I’m sorry, for causing panic.”

Emily sighs, not exasperated, but sounding genuinely tired. “It’s okay, Sammy’s here, with me and Benny. He’s- we’re gonna be okay, too. Eventually.”

“I should call Troy and Katie, let them know.” Lily sniffs.

“Yeah, you do that.” 

“Thanks, Emily.” She hangs up before Emily can respond, and begins to dial Katie.

“Is he okay?” Jack asks, almost too quiet to hear.

“Yeah, I’m sure he’ll be fine. He’s with Ben and Em.” She replies, but the answer did nothing to quell the tears streaming down his face.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Katie. Um, I just saw my phone, I- I’m sorry. I don’t know what Sammy told you guys-”

“He called Troy at the station in a full blown panic, Lily. Are you and Jack okay?”

“Yeah, we’re fine, Jack’s been here this whole time, I- I’m sorry.”

Katie sighed. “I’m glad you two are alright. Let me radio Troy and let him know the manhunt’s off?”

“Oh god, yeah, you better. Sorry. Bye.”

“Bye, Lily.”

Lily sets her phone down on the couch, a feeling of nausea overtaking her.

“I’m so sorry, Lils.”

She nods and sits at the table. Lily has a brother who was in a Void for five and a half years and an almost brother-in-law who has some… trauma, and their relationship is the talk of the town. All of this to say that she’s worried about callers on the show. All of this to say that she wishes they didn’t have to deal with it.

“I didn't mean for this to happen.” He pleads. 

“I know,” Lily whispers, head in her hands. “Listen, you- you and Sammy are gonna talk about this like _adults._ Clear this whole mess up, okay?”

“I didn’t mean-”

“I know,” She cuts him off, “but this is a _mess,_ Jack. It isn’t your fault, that’s not what I’m saying at all, but, god.”

“I’m sorry. God, Sammy’s probably a mess.”

“It isn’t your fault, Jack-”

“Yes, it is. I’ve been causing problems for all of you for months, I-”

Lily stops him then and there. “Jack. It isn’t your fault that Sammy’s got fucking separation anxiety, okay? You both have problems to work through, and you can’t blame yourself for this.”

Jack leans his head on her shoulder and Lily awkwardly puts her arm around him. She’s gotten better at the whole _affection_ thing since he’s been back, but she still has to get used to this new Jack, the one that’s older and a little taller and a little sharper.

“I’m sorry, Lily,” Jack says, as if he has any reason to apologize to her.

“It’s okay, Jack,” Lily says, as if she has any right to accept his apology. “We should go talk to Sammy, I think.”

Jack nods, not bothering to move. “Okay. Can you text Emily?”

“Alright,” Lily replies.

* * *

“It’s gonna be okay,” Ben says, going for comforting but probably ending up worried. “I’m sure Jack’s fine, Sammy.”

“I- I don’t, Ben wh-what if, what if something happened? I can’t- I- Lily isn’t answering her phone, what if something happened? What if they're both gone this time? I can’t-” Sammy’s voice cracks. “I can’t lose them both at once, Ben.”

Sammy’s on Ben’s couch, shaking. Ben hasn’t seen him look this shaken up in a _while_. Not since- well, not since Jack was passed out in the hospital. Ben’s sitting next to him, and Sammy’s crying, and since Ben’s tearing up.

“I’m sure they’re both fine, okay? Maybe Lily’s phone is dead, or she went out and forgot it! Hey,” He squeezes Sammy’s shoulder. “It’s gonna turn out just fine. Troy and Katie are scouring the whole town. We’re gonna find him, and he’s gonna be okay.”

Sammy says, “I just can’t believe I lost him all over again, Ben.”

Ben freezes, because _boy_ does that sound familiar. “You didn’t, he’s- he’s okay. He’s gonna be okay.” Because he _has_ to be okay, because this is Jack Wright, and they’re not going to lose him again.

And then there’s Emily. “Sammy,” she says. “Your phone is ringing. It’s Lily.”

* * *

“Hey,” Emily greets them quietly as the door to Ben’s apartment swings open.

“Hi, Em.”

“Come in, Sammy and Ben are in the kitchen.” She waves them in. 

“Hey guys,” Ben croaks, sitting at Emily’s table with Sammy, and _God,_ it’s obvious he’s been crying too. Ben catches emotions like they’re contagious, Lily knows. Especially when it comes to Sammy. Dude’s more empathetic than anyone she knows.

“Hi, Ben,” Lily sighs, “Listen, Sammy, I’m so sorry-”

“It’s fine,” He cuts her off quietly, voice barely above a whisper. “You guys are okay, that- that’s what matters.”

Jack knelt down next to Sammy’s chair and took his hands. “I’m sorry,” He murmured into the side of Sammy’s flannel. “Can I talk to you?”

“Yeah,” Sammy sniffs. “Yeah. We, uh, we can go to the other room.”

Ben watches them leave, uneasy.

“They need to talk. Have a conversation, like grown-ups. Work this out.” Lily says as she pulls out the chair next to Emily.

“Yeah,” Ben said quietly. “God, we’re all a mess, huh?”

Emily sighs. “From what I’ve heard, Ben,” she says, “you weren’t the best when I first came back and didn’t have my memories, either, and look at us now. Obviously, the situation’s a little different, but…”

“They’ll get there,” Lily says. “They’ll be fine. You should have seen how often they would argue in college.”

“I can imagine,” Ben replies, not smiling but he doesn’t look as depressed.

“Lily’s right. They’ll be okay.” Emily squeezes his hand.

Ben says, “I hope so.”

* * *

“I’m so sorry,” Jack whispered as soon as the spare bedroom door closed behind Sammy.

“Don’t be. This- this is my fault, too.”

“No, I overreacted, I- you had a panic attack, Sammy, because of me. That’s- that’s not okay.”

“Jack. W- we both did things wrong, that’s- we both kind of overreacted. About different things, but,” Sammy said softly, stepping forward. He looks sad, and that scares Jack a little, but he _knows_ Sammy, so steps forward too to take Sammy’s hands.

“Sam, I’m sorry I scared you, I am. But,” He cleared his throat, “We need to talk about- about what we fought about, this morning.” Jack looked at Sammy worriedly, biting the inside of his cheek. 

“Yeah,” Sammy pulled Jack by his hands to sit on the edge of the bed, facing each other. “Okay,”

“I’m sorry, but I- I feel like you’re smothering me, you know? I know you’re worried, and you are justified in that, but,” He trailed off.

“Okay,” Sammy breathed out. “I can- I can try and relax, I-”

“Sammy, I think I just need some space.”

Sammy’s face drops, a devastated look sweeping over him, and then it’s gone, his face is completely blank, emotionless.

“Wh- um, what do you mean? I don’t-” Sammy clears his throat. “I don’t understand, Jack, what do you- so, are you- are you, what? Leaving?”

“No, no, Sammy, I just- I need a few days. Okay? I think I’m just gonna stay at, uh, at Lily’s apartment. For a few days. And then I’ll come home.” Jack puts his hands on the sides of Sammy’s face, holding his fiance's head gently. “Okay?”

Sammy pulls his face away from Jack, and looks down at his own hands, not meeting Jack’s eyes. “Yeah. Whatever you need.”

Jack says, “Sammy, if that's not okay, you need to tell me. Yeah?”

“No, Jack, I can’t!” And he just sounds tired. “I don’t know how I can be honest with you here.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t want to be- to be _clingy_ , Jack.” Sammy sighs, rubbing at his temples. “Jack, every other thought I have about you is worry. I know it’s irrational, but I’m filled with this- this _fear_ that I’m going to lose you again.”

“I understand that, Sammy, I do, but if you don’t-” He sighs. “If you don’t _loosen your grip_ on me, I’m going to slip right through your fingers.

Sammy nods, and Jack steps forward to hug him.

“We can’t expect everything to be normal, Sam. Everything wasn’t just gonna go back to normal when I came home.”

“I know,” Sammy whispers into Jack’s shoulder, wrapping his arms around Jack’s torso. “Too much has changed.”

They’re quiet for a minute.

“Less than a week,” Jack whispers. “I’ll be at Lily’s less than a week. And you’ll see me every day, anyways.”

“And you’ll come home,” Sammy replies. 

“I’ll come home. I’ll always come home. For the rest of our lives, I’ll be coming home to you, Sammy Stevens.”

Sammy snorts. “Sap.”

“You say that as if Ben didn’t at one point start calling me “Jack ‘Love Monologue' Wright.” I embrace being a sap. You love it.” 

“I do.”

**Author's Note:**

> come talk to us, jules (@lcvelaces) and fp (@THINKFVST) on twitter! sorry for this :)


End file.
